gov.noaa.nmfs.inport:77771 eng UTF8 dataset Pacific Islands Fisheries Science Center 808-725-5300 1845 Wasp Blvd. Honolulu HI 96818 USA https://www.pifsc.noaa.gov WWW:LINK-1.0-http--link Website Website for this organization information 8:00 a.m. - 4:30 p.m. resourceProvider Luers, Lori H 1845 Wasp Blvd. Honolulu HI 96818 USA lori.luers@noaa.gov pointOfContact 2026-08-07T18:54:01 ISO 19115-2 Geographic Information - Metadata Part 2 Extensions for imagery and gridded data ISO 19115-2:2009(E) National Coral Reef Monitoring Program: Benthic Cover Derived from Analysis of Annotated Benthic Images Collected During Stratified Random Surveys (StRS) across the U.S. Pacific Islands since 2010 NCRMP: Pacific-wide Benthic Cover StRS publication NOAA/NMFS/EDM 77771 https://www.fisheries.noaa.gov/inport/item/77771 WWW:LINK-1.0-http--link Full Metadata Record View the complete metadata record on InPort for more information about this dataset. information Pacific Islands Fisheries Science Center 808-725-5360 1845 Wasp Blvd. Honolulu HI 96818 USA pifsc.info@noaa.gov https://www.pifsc.noaa.gov WWW:LINK-1.0-http--link Pacific Islands Fisheries Science Center Website Pacific Island Fisheries Science Center homepage information 8:00 a.m. - 4:30 p.m. originator https://www.fisheries.noaa.gov/region/pacific-islands#science WWW:LINK-1.0-http--link NOAA Fisheries Pacific Islands Region - Science Overview Online Resource download NOAA Fisheries, Pacific Islands Fisheries Science Center (PIFSC) This metadata record describes the benthic cover data collected under the National Coral Reef Monitoring Program (NCRMP) across the U.S. Pacific Islands, including American Samoa, CNMI, Guam, Hawai'i, and Pacific Remote Island Areas. These data characterize benthic cover, coral communities, and habitat structure to support ecosystem condition assessments and resource management. This record replaces InPort items 25274, 36155, 36156, and 36157. The coral reef benthic community data described here result from the annotation (classification) of benthic images collected during photoquadrat surveys conducted by the NOAA Pacific Islands Fisheries Science Center (PIFSC), Ecosystem Sciences Division (ESD, formerly the Coral Reef Ecosystem Division) as part of NOAA's ongoing National Coral Reef Monitoring Program (NCRMP). SCUBA divers conducted benthic photoquadrat surveys in coral reef habitats during ESD-led NCRMP missions to the islands and atolls the U.S. Pacific Islands region, according to protocols established by ESD and NCRMP. Sites prior to 2013 were collected via the Reef Assessment and Monitoring Program (RAMP), the predecessor to NCRMP, but annotated using NCRMP protocols. Still photographs were collected with a high-resolution digital camera mounted on a pole to document the benthic community composition at predetermined points along transects at stratified random sites surveyed only once as part of Rapid Ecological Assessment (REA) surveys for corals and fish (Ayotte et al. 2015 and Winston et al. 2020, respectively), with 30 photoquadrat images collected at each survey site. A stratified random sampling (StRS) design was employed to survey these coral reef ecosystems. The StRS design effectively reduces estimate variance through stratification using environmental covariates and by sampling more sites rather than sampling more transects at a site. Therefore, site-level estimates and site to site comparisons should be used with caution. The benthic habitat images were quantitatively analyzed using the Coral Point Count with Excel extensions (CPCe; Kohler and Gill, 2006) software from 2010-2014 and using the web-based image annotation tool, CoralNet (Beijbom et al. 2015) from 2015 to present. Ten points were randomly overlaid on each image and analysts identified the organism or type of substrate beneath, with 300 annotations (points) generated per site following Lozada-Misa et al. (2017). Images are analyzed to produce three functional group levels of benthic cover: Tier 1 (e.g., hard coral, soft coral, macroalgae, turf algae), Tier 2 (e.g., Hard Coral = massive, branching, foliose, encrusting; Macroalgae = upright macroalgae, encrusting macroalgae, bluegreen macroalgae, and Halimeda), and Tier 3 (e.g., Hard Coral = Astreopora sp, Favia sp, Pocillopora; Macroalgae = Caulerpa sp, Dictyosphaeria sp, Padina sp). To consolidate regional NCRMP benthic survey metadata into a single Pacific-wide record for long-term monitoring and analysis of coral reef ecosystems. The benthic data resulting from the collection and annotation of benthic imagery can ultimately be used to produce estimates of benthic community taxonomic composition, relative abundance (percentage of benthic cover), and frequency of occurrence, which are fundamental to understanding the status and change of coral reef benthic communities. NOAA Fisheries, Ecosystem Sciences Division, funded by NOAA Ocean Acidification Program onGoing Oliver, Thomas (808)725-5444 1845 Wasp Blvd. Honolulu HI 96818 USA thomas.oliver@noaa.gov pointOfContact DOC/NOAA/NMFS/PIFSC/ESD > Ecosystem Sciences Division, Pacific Islands Fisheries Science Center, National Marine Fisheries Service, NOAA, U.S. Department of Commerce dataCentre Global Change Master Directory (GCMD) Data Center Keywords 23.3 EARTH SCIENCE > BIOLOGICAL CLASSIFICATION > ANIMALS/INVERTEBRATES EARTH SCIENCE > BIOLOGICAL CLASSIFICATION > BACTERIA/ARCHAEA > CYANOBACTERIA (BLUE-GREEN ALGAE) EARTH SCIENCE > BIOLOGICAL CLASSIFICATION > PLANTS > ANGIOSPERMS (FLOWERING PLANTS) > MONOCOTS > SEAGRASS EARTH SCIENCE > BIOLOGICAL CLASSIFICATION > PLANTS > MACROALGAE (SEAWEEDS) EARTH SCIENCE > BIOSPHERE > ECOSYSTEMS > MARINE ECOSYSTEMS > BENTHIC EARTH SCIENCE > BIOSPHERE > ECOSYSTEMS > MARINE ECOSYSTEMS > REEF > CORAL REEF theme Global Change Master Directory (GCMD) Science Keywords 23.3 CAMERAS instrument Global Change Master Directory (GCMD) Instrument Keywords 23.3 743 National Coral Reef Monitoring Program theme CRCP Project Numeric Data Sets > Benthic theme CoRIS Discovery Thesaurus EARTH SCIENCE > Biosphere > Aquatic Habitat > Benthic Habitat EARTH SCIENCE > Biosphere > Aquatic Habitat > Reef Habitat EARTH SCIENCE > Biosphere > Microbiota > Blue-green Algae EARTH SCIENCE > Biosphere > Vegetation > Algae > Algal Cover EARTH SCIENCE > Biosphere > Vegetation > Algae > Crustose Coralline Algae EARTH SCIENCE > Biosphere > Vegetation > Algae > Encrusting Macroalgae EARTH SCIENCE > Biosphere > Vegetation > Algae > Turf Algae EARTH SCIENCE > Biosphere > Zoology > Corals EARTH SCIENCE > Biosphere > Zoology > Corals > Reef Monitoring and Assessment EARTH SCIENCE > Biosphere > Zoology > Corals > Reef Monitoring and Assessment > Baseline studies EARTH SCIENCE > Biosphere > Zoology > Corals > Reef Monitoring and Assessment > Benthos Analysis EARTH SCIENCE > Biosphere > Zoology > Corals > Reef Monitoring and Assessment > Benthos Analysis > Quadrat Monitoring > Photograph Analysis EARTH SCIENCE > Biosphere > Zoology > Corals > Reef Monitoring and Assessment > Benthos Analysis > Transect Monitoring EARTH SCIENCE > Biosphere > Zoology > Corals > Reef Monitoring and Assessment > Benthos Analysis > Transect Monitoring > Belt Transect EARTH SCIENCE > Biosphere > Zoology > Corals > Reef Monitoring and Assessment > Benthos Analysis > Transect Monitoring > Point Counts EARTH SCIENCE > Biosphere > Zoology > Corals > Reef Monitoring and Assessment > In Situ Biological EARTH SCIENCE > Biosphere > Zoology > Corals > Reef Monitoring and Assessment > Photographic Analysis EARTH SCIENCE > Biosphere > Zoology > Corals > Reef Monitoring and Assessment > Rapid Assessment Studies EARTH SCIENCE > Biosphere > Zoology > Mollusks > Tridacna EARTH SCIENCE > Biosphere > Zoology > Sponges EARTH SCIENCE > Oceans > Coastal Processes > Coral Reefs EARTH SCIENCE > Oceans > Coastal Processes > Coral Reefs > Coral Reef Ecology EARTH SCIENCE > Oceans > Coastal Processes > Coral Reefs > Coral Reef Ecology > Benthic biology EARTH SCIENCE > Oceans > Coastal Processes > Coral Reefs > Coral Reef Ecology > Coral Cover EARTH SCIENCE > Oceans > Coastal Processes > Coral Reefs > Coral Reef Ecology > Hard Coral Cover EARTH SCIENCE > Oceans > Coastal Processes > Coral Reefs > Coral Reef Ecology > Hard Coral Cover Live percentage EARTH SCIENCE > Oceans > Coastal Processes > Coral Reefs > Coral Reef Ecology > Octocoral Cover EARTH SCIENCE > Oceans > Marine Biology > Coral EARTH SCIENCE > Oceans > Marine Biology > Coral Communities EARTH SCIENCE > Oceans > Marine Biology > Marine Invertebrates EARTH SCIENCE > Oceans > Marine Biology > Marine Invertebrates > Macroinvertebrates EARTH SCIENCE > Oceans > Marine Biology > Marine Plants > Seagrass theme CoRIS Theme Thesaurus REEF AND/OR BOTTOM REGIME - PERCENT COVER theme NODC DATA TYPES THESAURUS laboratory analyses theme NODC OBSERVATION TYPES THESAURUS HI'IALAKAI OSCAR ELTON SETTE RAINIER small boat theme NODC PLATFORM NAMES THESAURUS CORAL REEF STUDIES Coral Reef Conservation Program National Coral Reef Monitoring Program theme NODC PROJECT NAMES THESAURUS US DOC; NOAA; NMFS; Pacific Islands Fisheries Science Center; Ecosystem Sciences Division; Coral Reef Ecosystem Program theme NODC SUBMITTING INSTITUTION NAMES THESAURUS COUNTRY/TERRITORY > Northern Mariana Islands > Aguihan > Aguihan Island (Aguijan) (14N145E0006) COUNTRY/TERRITORY > Northern Mariana Islands > Asuncion Island > Asuncion Island (19N145E0001) COUNTRY/TERRITORY > Northern Mariana Islands > Maug > Maug Island (20N145E0001) COUNTRY/TERRITORY > Northern Mariana Islands > Northern Mariana Islands > Northern Mariana Islands ( CNMI ) (18N146E0000) COUNTRY/TERRITORY > Northern Mariana Islands > Pagan > Pagan Island (18N145E0001) COUNTRY/TERRITORY > Northern Mariana Islands > Rota > Rota Island ( Luta ) (14N145E0007) COUNTRY/TERRITORY > Northern Mariana Islands > Saipan > Saipan Island (15N145E0002) COUNTRY/TERRITORY > Northern Mariana Islands > Sarigan Island > Sarigan Island (16N145E0003) COUNTRY/TERRITORY > Northern Mariana Islands > Tinian > Tinian Island (14N145E0005) COUNTRY/TERRITORY > United States of America > American Samoa > American Samoa > American Samoa (14S170W0000) COUNTRY/TERRITORY > United States of America > American Samoa > American Samoa > Ofu Island (14S169W0013) COUNTRY/TERRITORY > United States of America > American Samoa > American Samoa > Olosega Island (14S169W0014) COUNTRY/TERRITORY > United States of America > American Samoa > American Samoa > Rose Atoll (14S168W0001) COUNTRY/TERRITORY > United States of America > American Samoa > American Samoa > Swains Atoll (11S171W0001) COUNTRY/TERRITORY > United States of America > American Samoa > American Samoa > Ta'u Island (14S169W0012) COUNTRY/TERRITORY > United States of America > American Samoa > American Samoa > Tutuila Island (14S170W0016) COUNTRY/TERRITORY > United States of America > American Samoa > Ofu Island > Ofu (14S169W0002) COUNTRY/TERRITORY > United States of America > American Samoa > Olosega Island > Olosega (14S169W0016) COUNTRY/TERRITORY > United States of America > Guam > Guam (13N144E0000) COUNTRY/TERRITORY > United States of America > Hawaii > Hawaii > Hawaii (21N160W0000) COUNTRY/TERRITORY > United States of America > Hawaii > Hawaii > Hawaii Island (19N155W0003) COUNTRY/TERRITORY > United States of America > Hawaii > Hawaii > Kauai Island (22N159W0001 COUNTRY/TERRITORY > United States of America > Hawaii > Hawaii > Kauai Island (22N159W0001) COUNTRY/TERRITORY > United States of America > Hawaii > Hawaii > Molokai Island (21N157W0001) COUNTRY/TERRITORY > United States of America > Hawaii > Honolulu > French Frigate Shoals (24N166W0001) COUNTRY/TERRITORY > United States of America > Hawaii > Honolulu > Kure Atoll (28N178W0001) COUNTRY/TERRITORY > United States of America > Hawaii > Honolulu > Lisianski Island (25N173W0001) COUNTRY/TERRITORY > United States of America > Hawaii > Honolulu > Northwestern Hawaiian Islands (28N178W0000) COUNTRY/TERRITORY > United States of America > Hawaii > Honolulu > Oahu (21N157W0003) COUNTRY/TERRITORY > United States of America > Hawaii > Honolulu > Pearl and Hermes Reef (27N176W0001) COUNTRY/TERRITORY > United States of America > Hawaii > Kalawao > Kahoolawe Island (20N156W0001) COUNTRY/TERRITORY > United States of America > Hawaii > Kauai > Niihau Island (21N160W0001) COUNTRY/TERRITORY > United States of America > Hawaii > Maui > Lanai Island (20N156W0002 COUNTRY/TERRITORY > United States of America > Hawaii > Maui > Lanai Island (20N156W0002) COUNTRY/TERRITORY > United States of America > Hawaii > Maui > Maui Island (20N156W0004 COUNTRY/TERRITORY > United States of America > Hawaii > Maui > Maui Island (20N156W0004) COUNTRY/TERRITORY > United States of America > Hawaiian Islands (21N157W0027) COUNTRY/TERRITORY > United States of America > USA Minor Outlying Islands > Baker Island (00N176W0001) COUNTRY/TERRITORY > United States of America > USA Minor Outlying Islands > Howland Island (00S176W0001) COUNTRY/TERRITORY > United States of America > USA Minor Outlying Islands > Jarvis Island (00S160W0001) COUNTRY/TERRITORY > United States of America > USA Minor Outlying Islands > Johnston Atoll (16N169W0001) COUNTRY/TERRITORY > United States of America > USA Minor Outlying Islands > Kingman Reef (06N162W0001) COUNTRY/TERRITORY > United States of America > USA Minor Outlying Islands > Palmyra Atoll (05N162W0001) COUNTRY/TERRITORY > United States of America > USA Minor Outlying Islands > Wake Atoll (19N167E0001) OCEAN BASIN > Pacific Ocean > American Samoa > American Samoa (14S170W0000) OCEAN BASIN > Pacific Ocean > American Samoa > Rose Atoll (14S168W0001) OCEAN BASIN > Pacific Ocean > American Samoa > Swains Atoll (11S171W0001) OCEAN BASIN > Pacific Ocean > American Samoa > Tutuila Island (14S170W0016) OCEAN BASIN > Pacific Ocean > Central Pacific Ocean OCEAN BASIN > Pacific Ocean > Central Pacific Ocean > Baker Island > Baker Island (00N176W0001) OCEAN BASIN > Pacific Ocean > Central Pacific Ocean > Hawaiian Islands (21N157W0027) OCEAN BASIN > Pacific Ocean > Central Pacific Ocean > Hawaiian Islands > Hawaii > Hawaii (21N160W0000 OCEAN BASIN > Pacific Ocean > Central Pacific Ocean > Hawaiian Islands > Hawaii > Hawaii (21N160W0000) OCEAN BASIN > Pacific Ocean > Central Pacific Ocean > Hawaiian Islands > Hawaii Island > Hawaii Island (19N155W0003 OCEAN BASIN > Pacific Ocean > Central Pacific Ocean > Hawaiian Islands > Hawaii Island > Hawaii Island (19N155W0003) OCEAN BASIN > Pacific Ocean > Central Pacific Ocean > Hawaiian Islands > Kahoolawe Island > Kahoolawe Island (20N156W0001) OCEAN BASIN > Pacific Ocean > Central Pacific Ocean > Hawaiian Islands > Kauai Island > Kauai Island (22N159W0001) OCEAN BASIN > Pacific Ocean > Central Pacific Ocean > Hawaiian Islands > Lanai Island > Lanai Island (20N156W0002) OCEAN BASIN > Pacific Ocean > Central Pacific Ocean > Hawaiian Islands > Maui Island > Maui Island (20N156W0004) OCEAN BASIN > Pacific Ocean > Central Pacific Ocean > Hawaiian Islands > Molokai Island > Molokai Island (21N157W0001) OCEAN BASIN > Pacific Ocean > Central Pacific Ocean > Hawaiian Islands > Niihau Island > Niihau Island (21N160W0001) OCEAN BASIN > Pacific Ocean > Central Pacific Ocean > Hawaiian Islands > Oahu Island > Oahu (21N157W0003) OCEAN BASIN > Pacific Ocean > Central Pacific Ocean > Howland Island > Howland Island (00S176W0001 OCEAN BASIN > Pacific Ocean > Central Pacific Ocean > Johnston Atoll > Johnston Atoll (16N169W0001) OCEAN BASIN > Pacific Ocean > Central Pacific Ocean > Line Islands > Jarvis Island (00S160W0001) OCEAN BASIN > Pacific Ocean > Central Pacific Ocean > Line Islands > Kingman Reef (06N162W0001) OCEAN BASIN > Pacific Ocean > Central Pacific Ocean > Line Islands > Palmyra Atoll (05N162W0001) OCEAN BASIN > Pacific Ocean > Central Pacific Ocean > Northwestern Hawaiian Islands (28N178W0000) OCEAN BASIN > Pacific Ocean > Central Pacific Ocean > Northwestern Hawaiian Islands > French Frigate Shoals (24N166W0001) OCEAN BASIN > Pacific Ocean > Central Pacific Ocean > Northwestern Hawaiian Islands > Kure Atoll (28N178W0001) OCEAN BASIN > Pacific Ocean > Central Pacific Ocean > Northwestern Hawaiian Islands > Lisianski Island (25N173W0001) OCEAN BASIN > Pacific Ocean > Central Pacific Ocean > Northwestern Hawaiian Islands > Pearl and Hermes Reef (27N176W0001) OCEAN BASIN > Pacific Ocean > Central Pacific Ocean > Wake Atoll > Wake Atoll (19N167E0001) OCEAN BASIN > Pacific Ocean > Manu'a Group > Ofu (14S169W0002) OCEAN BASIN > Pacific Ocean > Manu'a Group > Ofu Island (14S169W0013) OCEAN BASIN > Pacific Ocean > Manu'a Group > Olosega (14S169W0016) OCEAN BASIN > Pacific Ocean > Manu'a Group > Olosega Island (14S169W0014) OCEAN BASIN > Pacific Ocean > Manu'a Group > Ta'u Island (14S169W0012) OCEAN BASIN > Pacific Ocean > Western Pacific Ocean > Aguihan Island Reefs > Aguihan Island (Aguijan) (14N145E0006) OCEAN BASIN > Pacific Ocean > Western Pacific Ocean > Asuncion Island > Asuncion Island (19N145E0001) OCEAN BASIN > Pacific Ocean > Western Pacific Ocean > Mariana Archipelago > Northern Mariana Islands ( CNMI ) (18N146E0000) OCEAN BASIN > Pacific Ocean > Western Pacific Ocean > Maug Island > Maug Island (20N145E0001) OCEAN BASIN > Pacific Ocean > Western Pacific Ocean > Pagan Island > Pagan Island (18N145E0001) OCEAN BASIN > Pacific Ocean > Western Pacific Ocean > Rota Island > Rota Island ( Luta ) (14N145E0007) OCEAN BASIN > Pacific Ocean > Western Pacific Ocean > Saipan Island > Saipan Island (15N145E0002) OCEAN BASIN > Pacific Ocean > Western Pacific Ocean > Sarigan Island > Sarigan Island (16N145E0003) OCEAN BASIN > Pacific Ocean > Western Pacific Ocean > Tinian Island Reefs > Tinian Island (14N145E0005) place CoRIS Place Thesaurus Coastal Waters of Hawaii Equatorial Pacific Ocean Marianas Trench Marine National Monument Northwest Pacific Pacific Remote Islands Marine National Monument place NODC SEA AREA NAMES THESAURUS Central Pacific Ocean North Pacific Ocean place NODC SEA AREA NAMES THESAURUS: North Pacific Ocean Papahanaumokuakea Marine National Monument Rose Atoll Marine National Monument South Pacific Ocean place NODC Sea Area Names Thesaurus photograph scale instrument NODC INSTRUMENT TYPES THESAURUS CRED CREP Coral Reef Ecosystem Division Coral Reef Ecosystem Program ESD Ecosystem Sciences Division PIFSC Pacific Islands Fisheries Science Center theme AMSM American Samoa CNMI Commonwealth of the Northern Marianas Islands MHI Main Hawaiian Islands Marianas NWHI Northwestern Hawaiian Islands PMNM PRIA PRIMNM Pacific Remote Island Areas place DOC/NOAA/NMFS/PIFSC > Pacific Islands Fisheries Science Center, National Marine Fisheries Service, NOAA, U.S. Department of Commerce dataCentre Global Change Master Directory (GCMD) Data Center Keywords 2017-04-24 publication 8.5 Earth Science Data and Information System, Earth Science Projects Division, Goddard Space Flight Center (GSFC), National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) https://forum.earthdata.nasa.gov/app.php/tag/GCMD%2BKeywords GCMD Keyword Forum Page Global Change Master Directory (GCMD). 2026. GCMD Keywords, Version 24. Greenbelt, MD: Earth Science Data and Information System, Earth Science Projects Division, Goddard Space Flight Center (GSFC), National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA). URL (GCMD Keyword Forum Page): https://forum.earthdata.nasa.gov/app.php/tag/GCMD+Keywords information custodian Pacific-wide Benthic project InPort otherRestrictions Cite As: Pacific Islands Fisheries Science Center, [Date of Access]: National Coral Reef Monitoring Program: Benthic Cover Derived from Analysis of Annotated Benthic Images Collected During Stratified Random Surveys (StRS) across the U.S. Pacific Islands since 2010 [Data Date Range], https://www.fisheries.noaa.gov/inport/item/77771. NOAA provides no warranty, nor accepts any liability occurring from any incomplete, incorrect, or misleading data, or from any incorrect, incomplete, or misleading use of the data. It is the responsibility of the user to determine whether or not the data is suitable for the intended purpose. otherRestrictions Access Constraints: None otherRestrictions Use Constraints: Please cite NOAA Ecosystem Science Division (ESD) when using the data. Example: Ecosystem Science Division (ESD); Pacific Islands Fisheries Science Center (2026). National Coral Reef Monitoring Program: National Coral Reef Monitoring Program: Benthic Cover Derived from Analysis of Benthic Images Collected during Stratified Random Surveys (StRS) across the U.S. Pacific since 2010. NOAA's National Center for Environmental Information, https://www.fisheries.noaa.gov/inport/item/77771 otherRestrictions Distribution Liability: NOAA cannot assume liability for any damages caused by errors or omissions in the data, nor for the failure of the data to function on a particular system. unclassified Not applicable Not applicable National Coral Reef Monitoring Program: Benthic Cover Derived from Analysis of Benthic Images Collected during Stratified Random Surveys (StRS) across the Hawaiian Archipelago from 2013 to 2019 NOAA/NMFS/EDM 36155 crossReference National Coral Reef Monitoring Program: Benthic Cover Derived from Analysis of Benthic Images Collected during Stratified Random Surveys (StRS) across the Mariana Archipelago since 2014 NOAA/NMFS/EDM 36156 crossReference National Coral Reef Monitoring Program: Benthic Cover Derived from Analysis of Benthic Images Collected during Stratified Random Surveys (StRS) across the Pacific Remote Island Areas since 2014 NOAA/NMFS/EDM 36157 crossReference National Coral Reef Monitoring Program: Benthic Images Collected from Stratified Random Sites (StRS) across American Samoa since 2015 NOAA/NMFS/EDM 25247 crossReference eng; US biota PIFSC Oracle database view: MV_BIA_CNET_ANALYSIS_DATA (CoralNet) / MV_BIA_PERC_COVER_PHOTO_CLI_RW (CPCe) Pacific Remote Island Areas (PRIA) including Baker, Howland, Jarvis, and Wake islands, Kingman Reef, and Johnston and Palmyra atolls. -176.6267816 -159.9717 -0.382607 16.780927 Phoenix (Baker and Howland) and Line Islands (Jarvis, Kingman, and Palmyra), and Johnston Atoll. These six of the seven PRIA are routinely surveyed as part of the American Samoa RAMP (ASRAMP) missions (Johnston, Baker and Howland during the first leg of ASRAMP, and Jarvis, Kingman, and Palmyra during the last leg of ASRAMP). 166.5937066 166.657759 19.26737797 19.32573345 Wake Island, one of the seven PRIA, is routinely surveyed as part of the Mariana Archipelago RAMP (MARAMP) missions. Surveys at Wake during MARAMP 2014 | Currentness: Ground Condition 2014-03-16 2014-03-20 Surveys at the islands in the PRIA during the first and last legs of ASRAMP 2015 | Currentness: Ground Condition 2015-01-26 2015-04-28 Surveys at Jarvis on the Sette cruise in 2016 | Currentness: Ground Condition 2016-05-16 2016-05-22 Surveys at Baker, Howland, Jarvis and Wake during MARAMP 2017 | Currentness: Ground Condition 2017-04-02 2017-04-23 Surveys at Baker, Howland, Jarvis, Kingman, and Palmyra during ASRAMP 2018 | Currentness: Ground Condition 2018-06-10 2018-08-11 | Currentness: Ground Condition 2023-03-15 2023-05-07 Mariana Archipelago (Guam and the Northern Mariana Islands, including Agrihan, Aguijan, Alamagan, Asuncion, Farallon de Pajaros, Guguan, Maug, Pagan, Rota, Saipan, Sarigan, and Tinian). 144.624971 145.852711 13.22889458 20.553116 MARAMP 2014 | Currentness: Ground Condition 2014-03-25 2014-05-07 MARAMP 2017 | Currentness: Ground Condition 2017-05-03 2017-06-21 MARAMP 2022; timeframe of collection of photoquadrat imagery for which this benthic cover dataset was derived. | Currentness: Ground Condition 2022-04-12 2022-08-10 Hawaiian Archipelago including the main and Northwestern Hawaiian Islands. -160.251839 -154.804172 18.91922507 22.218748 Main Hawaiian Islands (MHI), including Hawaii, Kauai, Maui, Oahu, Molokai, Niihau, Kahoolawe, and Lanai. -178.3843301 -166.053528 23.6242 28.457971 Northwestern Hawaiian Islands (NWHI), including French Frigate Shoals, Kure, Lisianki, and Pearl & Hermes. MHI RAMP 2013 | Currentness: Ground Condition 2013-08-02 2013-08-22 NWHI RAMP 2013 (only one day of fish/benthic surveys conducted during this otherwise climate-focused mission) | Currentness: Ground Condition 2013-09-18 Shore-based surveys of Oahu | Currentness: Ground Condition 2013-10-18 2013-10-31 MHI RAMP 2016 | Currentness: Ground Condition 2016-07-13 2016-08-24 NWHI RAMP 2016 | Currentness: Ground Condition 2016-08-31 2016-09-27 MHI RAMP 2019 | Currentness: Ground Condition 2019-04-21 2019-08-06 Shore-based fish surveys around Oahu as part of MHI RAMP 2019 | Currentness: Ground Condition 2019-10-30 2019-10-31 Time frame of benthic imagery collected starting with 2024 NCRMP surveys across the Hawaiian Archipelago. Includes MP2404, the shore-based mission in O'ahu, and SE2406 legs 1 and 2. | Currentness: Ground Condition 2024-05-13 American Samoa including Tutuila, Manu'a (Ofo, Olosega, and Ta'u), Rose Atoll, and Swains. -171.091706 -168.1373351 -14.559759 -11.04525081 ASRAMP 2015 | Currentness: Ground Condition 2015-02-15 2015-03-26 ASRAMP2018 | Currentness: Ground Condition 2018-06-19 2018-07-18 | Currentness: Ground Condition 2023-03-30 2023-08-09 false eng false Data Table ESD_NCRMP_BENTHIC_COVER_DataDictionary_2025 2026-08-07 publication CSV - Comma Separated Values (Text) CSV - Comma Separated Values (Text) CSV - Comma Separated Values (Text) NOAA National Centers for Environmental Information ncei.info@noaa.gov https://www.ncei.noaa.gov/contact WWW:LINK-1.0-http--link NCEI Contact Information Information for contacts at NCEI. information distributor https://accession.nodc.noaa.gov/0317464 WWW:LINK-1.0-http--link NCRMP_BENTHIC_COVER_STRS_HAWAII_2015-2024 Raw data of annotations of benthic photoquadrat images to capture benthic cover data at random sites across Hawaiian Archipelago, including Main Hawaiian Islands and Northwestern Hawaiian Islands. download https://accession.nodc.noaa.gov/0317464 WWW:LINK-1.0-http--link NCRMP_BENTHIC_COVER_STRS_MARIAN_2017-2025 Raw data of annotations of benthic photoquadrat images to capture benthic cover data at random sites across Mariana Archipelago, including Guam and the CNMI. download https://accession.nodc.noaa.gov/0317464 WWW:LINK-1.0-http--link NCRMP_BENTHIC_COVER_STRS_PRIA_2012-2025 Raw data of annotations of benthic photoquadrat images to capture benthic cover data at random sites across the Pacific Islands Heritage Marine National Monument. download https://accession.nodc.noaa.gov/0317464 WWW:LINK-1.0-http--link NCRMP_BENTHIC_COVER_STRS_SAMOA_2010-2023 Raw data of annotations of benthic photoquadrat images to capture benthic cover data at random sites across American Samoa. download dataset Accuracy Data collected using standard NCRMP benthic survey protocols; accuracy verified through QA/QC procedures. Completeness Report Complete for all surveyed sites across American Samoa, CNMI, Guam, and Hawaii. Conceptual Consistency Data follows consistent schema across regions. The stratified random sampling (StRS) design and benthic photoquadrat survey methodology, employed by the NOAA Ecosystem Sciences Division (ESD) since 2013. Benthic imagery is collected at stratified random sites. The imagery is analyzed using Coral Point Count with Excel Extentions (CPCe) or CoralNet to derive benthic cover values. A stratified random sampling (StRS) design was employed to survey the coral reef ecosystems through the U.S. Pacific regions. The survey domain encompassed the majority of the mapped area of reef and hard bottom habitats. The stratification scheme included island, reef zone, and depth in all regions, as well as habitat structure type in the Main Hawaiian Islands. The habitat structure types included simple, complex, and coral-rich. Depth categories of shallow (0-6 m), mid (> 6-18m) and deep (>18-30 m) were also incorporated into the stratification scheme. Allocation of sampling effort was proportional to strata area. Sites were randomly selected within each stratum. A geographic information system (GIS) and digital spatial databases of benthic habitats (NOAA National Centers for Coastal Ocean Science NCCOS), reef zones (IKONOS satellite imagery, NDGC 1998) bathymetry (NDGC 1998, CREP benthic mapping data), and marine reserve boundaries (NOAA) were used to facilitate spatial delineation of the sampling survey domain, strata, and sample units. Map resolution was such that the survey domain could be overlain by a grid using a GIS with individual cells of size 50 m by 50 m in area. A two-stage sampling scheme following Cochran (1977) was employed to control for spatial variation in population parameters at scales smaller than the grid cell minimum mapping unit (2,500 m2). Grid cells containing hard-bottom reef habitats were designated as primary sample units (referred to as sites). Oliver, Thomas (808)725-5444 thomas.oliver@noaa.gov processor Photoquadrat surveys were conducted by both the fish and benthic teams. Still photographs were collected to record the benthic community composition at predetermined points along the transect lines with a high-resolution digital camera mounted on a pole. Overall, 30 photoquadrat images are collected at each site. The fish team conducts these surveys along one 30 meter transect that spans the length of two stationary point count (SPC) cylinders used to assess fish abundance (30 images total, Rep A). Benthic substrate photos are taken at one meter intervals along the right hand side of the 30 m transect line. The benthic team conducts the photoquadrat surveys along two, independent 18 meter transects. Photos of the benthic substrate are taken at one meter intervals starting at meter 1, along the left hand side of each 18 meter transect (15 images/transect; 30 images total; Rep A and B). Oliver, Thomas (808)725-5444 thomas.oliver@noaa.gov processor The benthic photoquadrat imagery that are collected as part of the Rapid Ecological Assessment (REA) surveys for coral and fish are analyzed by using Coral Point Count with Excel extensions (CPCe; Kohler and Gill 2006) software through 2014 or by using the web-based annotation tool CoralNet (Beijbom et al. 2016) from 2015 to present. CPCe or CoralNet assigns 10 random points per photo and the benthic elements falling directly underneath each point is identified to three functional group levels: Tier 1 (e.g. hard coral, soft coral, macroalgae, turf algae, etc.), Tier 2 (e.g. Hard coral by morphology = massive, branching, foliose, encrusting, etc.; Macroalgae = upright macroalgae, encrusting macroalgae, bluegreen macroalgae, and Halimeda, etc.), and Tier 3 (e.g. Hard coral by genus and morphology; Macroalgae by genus or grouped genera). The detailed list of each functional group level or tier is included in the benthic image analysis classification scheme. Oliver, Thomas (808)725-5444 thomas.oliver@noaa.gov processor Raw survey data includes unique image name and individual point observations identified at three functional group levels of benthic cover with the corresponding physical data which reflect the description of the site. The physical data for all records includes the following: region, island, site, date (day, month, year), latitude (dd), longitude (dd), reef zone, habitat type, depth category, minimum depth and maximum depth. Oliver, Thomas (808)725-5444 thomas.oliver@noaa.gov processor Source Contribution: The published benthic image analysis SOP using CoralNet. Lozada-Misa P, Schumacher BD, Vargas-Angel B. 2017. Analysis of benthic survey images via CoralNet : a summary of standard operating procedures and guidelines. Pacific Islands Fisheries Science Center, PIFSC Administrative Report, H-17-02, 169 p. https://doi.org/10.7289/V5/AR-PIFSC-H-17-02. 2017-01-31 publication Pacific Islands Fisheries Science Center, PIFSC https://repository.library.noaa.gov/view/noaa/14205 WWW:LINK-1.0-http--link NOAA Institutional Repository Source Citation URL information originator otherRestrictions otherRestrictions Access Constraints: None | Use Constraints: None